Like You Wouldn't Believe
by haveyouseenmyhaggis
Summary: Marian wasn't meant to die! A legend can't be changed, and it's up to the Doctor, Jack and Donna to make sure it doesn't happen!


**Title: Like You Wouldn't Believe**

**Summary: Marian wasn't meant to die - and it's up to the Doctor, Jack and Donna to stop it! **

**Author's Note: This was Lynette McGregor's idea. So, the credit for the idea goes to her!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own _Doctor Who _or _Robin Hood._**

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"Something's happening! Something that isn't meant to happen is happening and we need to fix it!" the Doctor babbled agitatedly as he danced around the TARDIS pressing buttons and pulling levers. There was something bothering him but he didn't tell me immediately. I listened to him rambling about stuff happening but I didn't really understand. Was something wrong with the TARDIS then? I glanced across at Jack Harkness, and he shrugged, equally as clueless as me.

"Oi, Spaceman, explain!" I demanded in irritation as he paused for a moment, panting for breath slightly. He looked at the central column in the machine and smiled slightly.

He turned to me with a strange look in his eyes; sort of worried and excited at the same time. "Sometimes," he began, "Something goes wrong in time and space and things happen. I don't know why, but something's changed, moved, and things have gone wrong."

"What "things"?" Jack pressed. Honestly, getting useful information from a Timelord is like trying to get blood from a rock.

"Things that should be changed. Legends shouldn't be re-written. If things changed, the there could be repercussions for years afterwards!" he told me. I rolled my eyes. This conversation was going nowhere. I hated it when that happened. It's just plain frustrating. Today was just going to be one of those days.

Suddenly, the TARDIS thudded down somewhere and we were thrown right across the floor. The Doctor tripped and fell flat on his face, only to be back on his feet in seconds. Jack was sprawled on the floor for only a fraction of a second before he got up, grinning like he'd just been on a roller coaster. Idiot. I, on the other hand, lay on the cold floor for a good minute in a rather undignified position before struggling to get up. He didn't even think to check I was alright, he just grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the door.

"Where are we, Doctor?"

"If I've done this right, we're in 1193," he said carefully as he flung the TARDIS open. The first thing I saw was sand. I groaned slightly. Sand gets everywhere. It really does. Whenever I go to the beach it ends up in my hair, in my shoes, in my clothes... _everywhere. _I looked bleakly at the Doctor and sighed. He was already striding away from the TARDIS, meaning I had to follow.

"What's special about 1193?" I asked him as I trotted along behind him. The temperature of this place was already beginning to bother me. My long white t-shirt was sticking to me and I was regretting wearing jeans. The Doctor seemed unbothered. Jack would be fine in his shorts and t-shirt. We'd just come from a sports place hunting for stray aliens and Jack had decided to look the part. Actually, let me rephrase that. He just wanted the ladies to stare. And hell, the stared alright. I'd just dressed as I always did - there was no way _I _was doing sport.

"The Holy War," he told me.

I stared at him, "You took us to a war?"

"Yeah, but we're just going to see someone," he promised, "We're not going to get involved." Yeah. That'll be the day.

We walked for what seems like forever. It was difficult in that heat. All I wanted to do was flop down in a swimming pool with a cocktail and a good book and my iPod. Eventually, the Doctor came to a halt at the top of a sand dune. There was a small village of pale square houses. It was an odd sight. It's difficult to believe people actually live in this sort of heap.

"We're nearly there. We have," he checked his watch, "Ten minutes."

"Until what?" Jack pressed.

"Until we need to do something," he told us. I rolled my eyes and we carried on walking. The sand was filling up my trainers. The Doctor was so taking me shopping as soon as we got away. Suddenly, there was movement. People were running and shouting. The Doctor tensed and hesitated for a moment.

"What is it?" I asked.

"This is it, Donna. We need to stop that man. See the one in black? He's going to murder a woman. We need to stop him doing it. This legend doesn't happen this way! Come on, let's go," he explained.

"Which legend?"

"Donna, have you ever heard the story of Robin Hood?" he smiled slightly, "Great man."

"Very fit," Jack added with a grin. I raised my eyebrows at him. Sometimes with Jack I don't quite know what to make of his comments - or whether to believe them. As if he's met Robin Hood.

"Come _on," _the Doctor urged, hurrying down the sand dune towards the buildings. We reached it within a few minutes and we hovered behind a little house trying to figure out what was happening. A brunette woman wearing white was hurrying across the sand towards the man wearing leather. She seemed to be taunting him.

"I love Robin Hood," she told the man. I strained to hear how the man responded; he was talking in barely more than a whisper. The man had a sword in his hands, glittering in the sunlight. I shivered slightly and I felt Jack tense beside me. The Doctor suddenly ran forwards. I looked at Jack and we silently agreed to follow. My stomach was doing back flips as it always does when we walk into danger, but I kept a lid on it.

"Excuse me?" the Doctor interrupted approaching the man in leather, "Have you got a minute?"

The man spun around in surprise, his sword narrowly missing the Doctor's nose. "What?" he growled.

"I said, have you got a minute to talk to me. I've been sent here from the Sheriff of Nottingham and he said he wants you back," the Doctor said, improvising quickly. I always admired how he could do that.

"I don't care what that man says," Leather said. "I have business here."

I ran over to the brunette girl and took her arm while the Doctor worked his magic, "Come on. You need to get out of here. You can't get hurt here!"

"Who are you?" she asked, her eyes wide and curious. She looked at my clothes with a bemused look on her face.

"Donna Noble. I'm from a long way away. We have to get out of here!" I urged, pulling her away from the scene. Just then I heard an angry yell and I spun around and saw Leather running towards me waving his sword. The Doctor had clearly pissed him off. I would never out run him. I screamed and tried to make the woman run away. Then someone pushed me to the ground and stood in front of the brunette and I.

Jack fell onto the sand with a dull thud. He winced in pain and laid his head down on the sand. I gasped and hurried to his side, trying not to look at the sword in his stomach. Another man ran over to us - someone I didn't know. He had a short mop of brown hair and anxious eyes. "Guy..." he snarled, jumping to his feet again and running at Leather.

"Gisborne!" came a yell from nearby and Leather fled. I watched him go and held Jack's hand tightly. The Doctor dropped down beside us and put his hand to Jack's forehead. He frowned slightly and looked worried.

The brunette sat down beside us and bit her lip. "Is he going to be alright?" she asked helplessly.

"Yeah," the Doctor nodded quickly, "Yeah, he'll be okay." Of course he would, but we couldn't very well tell these people that he'd come back to life even if he did die!

"Is there anything we can do?" the man asked, returning to our side, "You saved Marian, and for that, I'm grateful."

"Marian?" I repeated dumbly, "As in _Lady _Marian?"

"Yes," she said, looking puzzled.

"Oh. My. God!" I cried, "And you're Robin Hood!"

The man laughed and nodded, "Once again, my reputation precedes me."

"Like you wouldn't believe!" I smiled thinking of all the stories I was told when I was younger, and all the television shows and movies about Robin. And I'd met him! I felt giddy and just about burst out laughing there and then. I didn't because Jack groaned and just about broke my hand, tears in his eyes.

"We better take him back to the TARDIS," the Doctor said quietly to me.

"What's your names?" Robin wanted to know, as the Doctor scooped Jack up into his arms.

"Donna. And the Doctor," I told him, "And that's Jack."

"_Captain!" _Jack reminded me. I laughed slightly and turned to leave. So there I was; making history. I'd rescued a legend and played my part. Me? In a Robin Hood story! It sounded really stupid.

"I'll make sure your friend is avenged," Robin promised us as we walked away. Jack grinned slightly, through his pain. Honestly, what is it with that man? His ego is stupidly big. Anyway, that's how I met Robin Hood. You know, just a normal day in my life in the TARDIS. Nothing new.


End file.
